Entries by Jean Rhodes

I Don’t think you like me very much: Child minority status and disadvantage predict relationship quality with teachers

/in , , , /by

Fitzpatrick, C., Côté-Lussier, C., Pagani, L. S., & Blair, C. (2017). I Don’t think you like me very much: Child minority status and disadvantage predict relationship quality with teachers. Youth & Society, 1-17. DOI: 10.1177/0044118X13508962. Summarized by Stella Kanchewa, M.A., UMass Boston doctoral student Children’s academic performance relates to important adult outcomes including career options, […]

Recent meta-analysis highlights the promise of cross-age peer mentoring

/in /by

by Jean Rhodes Although several meta-analyses of intergenerational mentoring programs have been conducted, my colleagues and I recently conducted the first comprehensive meta-analysis of cross-age peer mentoring programs for youth. Based on the doctoral dissertation of Samantha Burton, Ph.D., the study shows some potentially promising results. Indeed, analyses revealed a medium-sized overall effect of cross-age […]

On Methods: What’s a meta-analysis, anyways?

/in , /by

  by Adar Ben-Eliyahu, Assistant Professor, University of Haifa There is often considerable fanfare when a new meta-analysis is published. What’s the excitement about anyways? Don’t most meta-analyses seem to be saying things we already know from previous research? This is somewhat true, as meta-analyses summarize previous research findings. However, in contrast to a review, […]

New Findings: Natural Mentoring Relationships Can Advance College Students’ Emotional Regulation and Mental Health

/in , , , /by

Thomas P. Le,Ti Hsu,Elizabeth B. Raposa (2021). Effects of natural mentoring relationships on college students’ metnal health: The role of emotion regulation. American Journal of Community Psychology. Abstract (from article) The transition to college involves a number of novel stressors for young adults and represents a period of heightened risk for the onset or worsening […]

Three logical fallacies that persist in youth mentoring

/in , /by

by Jean Rhodes Mentoring has come a long way in recent years. Programs are increasingly embracing evidence-based approaches and recent meta-analyses have shown the benefits of more targeted approaches. Nonetheless, there remain  three fairly persistent fallacies in our field that have distracted programs from the difficult work of creating effective, enduring relationships. But once we […]

Three research-based recommendations for improving youth and mentors’ engagement in programs

/in , , /by

by Jean Rhodes Youth can’t benefit from mentoring programs they (or their mentors) don’t attend, and poor attendance is a common problem in many programs. One factor that may discourage attendance is the threat of violence and crime. In this important new study, researchers studied this issue and make valuable suggestions for how to increase […]